Sunday, June 5th was a memorable day for a group of dedicated researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On that day, 30 years ago, the CDC published its first report on what would come to be known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS.

Today, an estimated 1.1 million people are living with HIV, but 1 in 5 does not know they are infected and more than half of American adults, ages 18-64 have never been tested.

Faith and community–based organizations play a significant role in reducing health disparities and help work to solve some of our most complex health challenges, including HIV/AIDS. Through the first ever National HIV/AIDS Strategy, President Obama has charged the federal Centers for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships to actively engage faith communities to end the stigma that surrounds HIV/AIDS and promote prevention and testing.

Just last month, our center partnered with the White House faith-based office to host a call-to-action webcast featuring prominent faith and community leaders discussing prevention and responding to HIV/AIDS in our communities, and supporting individuals living with HIV and AIDS.

As we prepare for National HIV Testing Day the weekend of June 27, 2011, we hope you will consider addressing the issues of HIV and AIDS. You can help make great progress in reversing the expansion of this disease by talking about the importance of getting tested with people that you know. You can also help your community members get tested by partnering with a community health center or health organization in your community that offer testing at their facilities.

We thank the faith and community leaders who have been on the forefront of working to turn around this crisis, through the robust participation of congregations and community organizations across the country. We commend you on your mission and service to fulfilling critical obligations.

Featured Update

Premiums Reduction makes it Easier for Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions

On May 31, 2011 HHS announced new steps to make it easier for Americans to enroll in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan. Premiums for the Federally-administered Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) will drop as much as 40 percent in 18 States. These premium decreases help bring PCIP premiums closer to the rates in each State’s individual insurance market. In the six States where PCIP premiums were already well-aligned with State premiums, premiums will remain the same.

Eligibility standards will be eased in 23 States and the District of Columbia to ensure more Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable health insurance. Starting July 1, 2011, people applying for coverage can simply provide a letter from a doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner dated within the past 12 months stating that they have or, at any time in the past, had a medical condition, disability, or illness. Applicants no longer have to wait for an insurance company to send them a denial letter. Applicants will still need to meet other eligibility criteria, including that they are U.S. citizens or residing legally and that they have been without health coverage for six months. Eligibility is not based on income and people who enroll are not charged a higher premium because of their medical condition.

The PCIP plan was created by the Affordable Care Act to help people with pre-existing conditions receive health coverage. In 2014 insurance companies will not be allowed to deny coverage to those with a pre-existing condition.

For more information, including eligibility, plan benefits and rates, as well as information on how to apply, visit www.pcip.gov and click on “Find Your State.” The PCIP Call Center is open from 8 am to 11 pm Eastern Time. Call toll-free 1-866-717-5826 (TTY 1-866-561-1604).

Let’s Move Faith and Commun ities Update

First Lady Michelle Obama has challenged faith-based and neighborhood organizations throughout the country to raise a healthier generation of kids through active lifestyles and healthy eating. To reach that goal, Let’s Move! is working with communities on two food access goals: creating 1,000 new Summer Food Service Program sites, and hosting 10,000 fresh produce projects, like community gardens and farmers markets. When fresh fruits and vegetables are accessible and affordable, kids and families eat more healthfully!

Here are three exciting resources from our partner Center at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). We hope you’ll take advantage of these resources to increase access to healthy, fresh food in your community:

USDA’s national Farmers Market Directory is a current listing of all farmers markets throughout the country. The deadline to register your market for the 2011 directory is June 15th. Let others know about your market and help us meet our goal by signing up here.

Latest News

Secretary Sebelius Asks Clergy to Lift Up “Health” in Their Ministries atHampton University 97th AnnualMinister’s Conference

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius served as one of the keynote speakers at Hampton University’s 97th Annual Minister’s Conference. Started in 1914 by a small group of ministers who came together in order to make a deeper impact in their communities, today the Hampton University Minister’s Conference is the largest interdenominational gathering in the country.

Speaking at the Hampton University Convocation Center in front of a gathering of 5,000 clergy and faith leaders, Sebelius emphasized the critical role that congregations play in their communities: “As faith leaders, you have a unique ability to reach people, especially the most vulnerable among us. No one has a bigger ability than you to arm your congregations and communities with the tools and information they need to get healthy, stay well, and thrive. So I’m asking every one of you tonight to lift up ‘health’ as part of your ministry.”

Concluding her remarks with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King—“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle”—Sebelius pledged her commitment to be a partner to faith leaders every step of the way as we work to reduce and eventually close health disparities in this country.

Church of God in Christ Sponsors Community Deve lopment Symposium

When there are people in the community in need of resources and services, it is not enough to express words of faith. Instead, scripture reminds us that our actions of faith to persons in need are just as important as our expressions of faith.

That underlying spirit underscores the economic development work of Bishop Charles E. Blake, Presiding Bishop of Church of God in Christ, Inc (COGIC) and Dr. Lula Ballton, the Director of Community and Economic Development of COGIC in the South Los Angeles community.

As a commitment to those principles, they conducted the first annual Christian Community Development Symposium at the University of Southern California Galen Center in Los Angeles, California where I served as one of the panelists.

Providing an overview of the work of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, I also specifically discussed the Affordable Care Act which expands access to care, ends abuses of insurers, and makes health care more affordable for individuals and families. I explained that there is a critical connection to human services and to economic development. Both pieces contribute to the health and wellness of the community.

The theme of the symposium was “Creating and Sustaining the Beloved Community.” Remarking on that vision, Dr. Ballton said, “Success is measured, not in the dollars you've generated, but in community transformations.” Over 300 individuals participated in the event and received information from a range of faith-based and community experts on community development. For Bishop Blake, Pastor of West Angeles Church, the symposium “represents an opportunity to have a forum and a method for educating church leadership on effective community development practices.”

While I was in Los Angeles, I got the opportunity to view those best practices first hand. I toured the West Angeles Community Development Corporation and housing facility for senior citizens. They stand as solid reminders on how to create and sustain “the beloved community.”

Acacia Bamberg Salatti is the Deputy Director of the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (The Partnership Center) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Seventh-Day Adventists are stepping up their community’s commitment to health and wellness! They’ve just launched their new website for Adventists InStep for Life setting the Let’s Move Faith and Communities challenges for increased physical activity and food access as their community’s goals!

InStep for Life was created to assist Adventist churches, schools and health care organizations in reversing the trend toward childhood obesity. Every conference, church, school, university and health care organization in their North American Division (NAD) will be encouraged to form an Adventists InStep for Life team to coordinate activities inspiring healthy eating, increasing physical activity and furthering awareness of childhood obesity.

The North American Division has set four goals for Adventists InStep for Life:

Accumulate 1 million miles through walking and other physical activities

Focus on nutrition by launching 100 summer feeding sites (at least one church and school feeding site per conference)

Increase fruit and vegetable servings by planting 100 community gardens (at least one church and school garden per conference)

The newly revised website offers information on how to develop an Adventists InStep for Life team that can plan and implement a strategy that works for each organization; information on carrying out the primary NAD goals of promoting physical activity, hosting a summer feeding site and starting a community garden; ideas for churches, school, universities and health care organizations; and more.

Sunday, September 25, 2011 has been set aside as Let’s Move Day! Throughout the North American Division communities will be getting as many people as possible involved in physical activity that day. Churches, schools, universities or hospitals will sponsor and promote any physical activity from a group walk in the park, a youth sports event, a 5K run/walk, or any other event involving physical activity! To learn more about Let’s Move Day and how to engage your community, click here.

As always, the final section of our newsletter includes an updated grants listing that faith-based and community non-profits can pursue. It is important to review the funding announcement thoroughly to ensure that the grant is one that is appropriate to your organization’s mission, size, and scope.

Grants Listings

Title:Grants to Expand Care Coordination through the Use of Health Information Technology in Targeted Areas of Need (Short Title: TCE-Health IT)Description: Leverage technology to enhance and/or expand the capacity of substance abuse treatment providers to serve persons in treatment who have been underserved because of lack of access to treatment in their immediate community due to transportation concerns, an inadequate number of substance abuse treatment providers in their community, and/or financial constraints.Eligibility: Faith-based and community organizations that meet eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENTLast Day to Apply: June 13, 2011

Title:Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities)Description: Provide capacity building support for communities engaged in planning efforts that support community involvement and integrate housing, land use, land cleanup and preparation for reuse, economic and workforce development, transportation, and infrastructure investments.Eligibility: Faith-based and community organizations that meet eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENTLast Day to Apply: July 8, 2011

Title:Child Welfare -- Education System Collaborations to Increase Educational StabilityDescription: Build collaborations between child welfare systems and Education systems to increase the educational stability of children in or at risk of entering the child welfare system.Eligibility: Faith-based and community organizations that meet eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENTLast Day to Apply: July 26, 2011

Title:Street Outreach ProgramDescription: These projects aim to increase young people’s safety, well-being, and self-sufficiency, and to help them build permanent connections with caring adults, with the goal of getting them off the streets.Eligibility: This funding opportunity is open to nonprofit providers, including faith-based and community organizations.Funding: Up to twenty-one awards, with funding up to $200,000 each.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENT Last Day to Apply: June 24, 2011Grant is administered by the:Administration for Children & Families

Title:Basic Center ProgramDescription: FYSB administers the Basic Center Program (BCP) funding to the organizations and shelters that serve and protect runaway, homeless, and street youth.Eligibility: This funding opportunity is open to nonprofit providers, including faith-based and community organizations.Funding: Up to 107 awards, with funding up to $200,000 each.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENT Last Day to Apply: June 24, 2011Grant is administered by the:Administration for Children & Families

Title:Partnership with Child Support Services to Develop Workforce Strategies and Economic SustainabilityDescription: Develop workforce-related partnerships that would provide for job search, transitional and subsidized jobs, support services, job placement and job advancement assistance for non-custodial parents.Eligibility: This funding opportunity is open to nonprofit providers, including faith-based and community organizations.Funding: Up to six awards, with funding ranging from $35,000 to $55,000 each.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENT Last Day to Apply: June 27, 2011Grant is administered by the:Administration for Children & Families

Title:Project to Test a Predesigned Data Warehouse ModelDescription: This grant would fund a state to analyze, prototype or test the integration of the data warehouse with the state CSE system.Eligibility: This funding opportunity is open to State governments.Funding: One award, with funding ranging from $80,000 to $100,000.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENT Last Day to Apply: June 27, 2011Grant is administered by the:Administration for Children & Families

Title:Partnership to Strengthen Families: Child Support Enforcement and University PartnershipsDescription: State child support agencies may propose projects in which they partner with a university or that involve a university and one or more agencies (such as TANF, child welfare, workforce, behavioral health, community colleges).Eligibility: This funding opportunity is open to State governments.Funding: Up to three awards, with funding ranging from $80,000 to $100,000 each.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENT Last Day to Apply: June 27, 2011Grant is administered by the:Administration for Children & Families

Title:Special Improvement Project (SIP) -- Projects to Address the Economic Downturn on IV-D OperationsDescription: Submit competitive grant applications for Special Improvement Projects (SIP) to develop creative strategies and processes to operate programs more effectively and efficiently in order to address their immediate needs during the economic downturn and advance longer-term structural changes.Eligibility: This funding opportunity is open to nonprofit providers, including faith-based and community organizations.Funding: Up to three awards with funding up to $100,000 each.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENT Last Day to Apply: June 29, 2011Grant is administered by the:Administration for Children & Families

Title:Strengthen and Improve the Nation’s Environmental Public Health Capacity through National, Non-Profit, Professional Public Health Organizations to Incorporate Health in All PoliciesDescription:Ppromote Environmental Public Health by educating decision-makers, key stakeholders, and the community.Eligibility: This funding opportunity is open to nonprofit providers, including faith-based and community organizations.Funding: Up to four awards, with funding up to $200,000 each.Link to Full Announcement:LINK TO FULL ANNOUNCEMENT Last Day to Apply: June 16, 2011Grant is administered by the:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention